Gifted Jaguars and Eagles

In my department we have frequent conversations about how to attract a more representative population to our gifted programs and how to retain them afterwards. This article gives us more food for thought. https://www.the74million.org/article/an-educators-view-getting-more-diverse-kids-into-gifted-talented-programs-is-only-half-the-story-schools-must-help-them-stay-and-succeed/

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/a-crooked-seat-at-the-table-black-and-alone-in-an-honors-class?utm_source=tt64-magazine&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=first-bell A Crooked Seat at the Table: Black and Alone in an Honors Class Educator Kiara Lee-Heart was often the only Black student in her high school honors classes. Here’s what she wishes her teachers—and all educators—knew about that experience. DR. KIARA LEE-HEART OCTOBER 1, 2019 It was Shirley Chisolm who said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”  So, let’s say you bring one. The chair brings you closer to the table, but its legs are wobbly and it lacks the support you need to survive and thrive. Your posture is compromised.  It’s the price Black students often pay for a seat at the table, for access to opportunity, particularly when they are the only Black student in their honors class. Picture it: You’re in a class that will challenge your mind, expand y...

I gave a 3 hour session for teachers yesterday at KHS on  Culturally Responsive Teaching & Bloom’s Taxonomy . I really enjoyed the conversations we had together with staff from Oak Grove Middle, Olson Middle, JHS and KHS about how to increase the amount of culturally responsive teaching in our classrooms and how to do it in a way that helps our kids carry more of the cognitive load and to be less dependent learners. x

I have been to the Hormel Gifted Symposium 2 summers in a row and it is an amazing opportunity for professional development.  Nationally known experts are brought to Austin, MN for three days in June to do in depth PD that I don't see at other conferences.  Unlike a usual conference where you sample in 50-60 minute increments at Austin you get 3 in depth sessions with the same presenters 3 days in a row so you really get into the topic with an expert and get to actually talk about your students and challenges.  I highly recommend it.  This summer creativity expert Patti Drapaeu is coming again and there are some good ones on Culturally Responsive Teaching too. http://www.gtsymposium.org/

This is a conference that promotes college attendance to Latinx high schoolers. There will be various workshops that students can attend throughout the day. The workshops are designed by Latinx college students with the purpose of answering some of the questions they had as high schoolers. All high school grades are welcome. 8:30am - 9am - check-in 9am - 10:15am - session 1 10:20am- 11:05am- session 2 11:10am - 11:55am - lunch 12am - 12:45pm - session 3 Workshops to Choose From! 1.Applying for Colleges- Learn what the college application process looks like. 2. Choosing a college- What should I look for when I am looking at colleges? Does it matter what college I go to? How do I know I am choosing the right college? This workshop will give you a lot of tips on how to go about choosing a college. 3.Choosing a Major- What is a major? How do I choose a major? Can I not know my major? Get these questions and more questions about majors answered at this workshop. 4.Getting Involved in Col...

We were fortunate to have Minneapolis as the host city for the NAGC conference this weekend. I got to attend with many educators from Bloomington including Kris Krenz, Kathryn Haddad, Josh Coval, Lori Schultz and Nick Hupton. I got to go to lots of sessions and think about how to improve myself as an educator and how do I improve the services that we provide for students in Bloomington. I love opportunities like this. It gives me a time to reflect and to get motivated. Sessions I attended: Equity and access in K 12 gifted and the need for targeted professional learning for teachers, Culturally responsive professional learning in gifted education, The positive impact of empowering gifted learners, When grouping works for gifted students, Transforming text based talks to reach today’s gifted learner, Simple models that promote complex thinking across the content areas, Embedding GT practices in the classroom, Lighting the career path:  counseling strategies and activities f...

May 4, 2018:  Tall Paul, a Minneapolis rapper, came to talk to 12th and 9th graders about his creative process and how his experience as Native growing up away from his culture influences his art.  To prepare for today's talk students read and analyzed his rap " Prayers in a Song" .  The 9th grade Nobel cohort was a part of the audience. 

Looking for a good book to read?  I am really enjoying reading Donna Ford's Multicultural Gifted Education .    I love getting to read about both topics but have never gotten to read where the author integrated these two perspectives together.  I think I'm going to need to read this book twice just to absorb all this info.  I highly recommend it to fellow teachers!